The day you start your orthodontic treatment is an exciting one!
Whether you choose braces or clear aligners, finally popping your first set of aligners in or checking out your new braces in the mirror is the true start to seeing your smile begin to transform before your eyes.
As you adjust to your new orthodontic appliances and start to notice changes, you may find yourself wondering “how long will I have to wear braces or Invisalign/3M aligners?”
Let’s talk about your time in braces and how long your clear aligners treatment may take!
How long will I have to wear braces?
Unfortunately there’s no specific and definite answer for you! Because everyone’s smiles are unique, the time you spend in braces treatment varies from person to person.
While our average braces patient spends about 18 to 24 months in treatment, how long your treatment takes depends on a few different factors like:
- Severity of your orthodontic condition(s). You may have one or more common orthodontic conditions affecting the beauty and health of your smile. While mild or moderate issues like crowded teeth or gapped teeth can be corrected swiftly, severe cases like underbites or overbites can require more complex treatment which can take much longer to fix.
- Compliance. How long your treatment takes also depends on you! Making sure you attend your adjustment appointments, wear your rubber bands as prescribed, and avoid braces unfriendly foods helps keep your treatment on track.
- Age. While healthy teeth move the same at every age, early orthodontic treatment provides a significant advantage. Why? Because it’s easier to work with the natural growth and development of teeth and jaws to guide them into healthy alignment. But that doesn’t mean adults can’t get braces too!
How long do you have to wear clear aligners?
You may be more familiar with Invisalign® as the most popular clear aligner treatment. But there are many other clear aligner brands rising to the top too! 3M™Clarity™ aligners is another brand that has been around for a while and are responsible for smile transformations across the globe.
Clear aligners are well known for their discreet appearance and convenience. So if you’re looking for a more subtle treatment and one without food restrictions, you’ll be happy to know that the average treatment time is the same as braces!
How long do you have to wear aligners a day?
For clear aligners to do their job, you’ll need to wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day. The TrayMinder® app and your clear aligner case will be your best friends during treatment, helping you keep track of your aligner wear time and where your aligners are!
Just simply remove your trays for meals, snacks, and when you drink anything other than water.
How long does it take to get braces off?
You’ll be relieved to know that the braces removal process takes less time than your initial exam and the placement of your braces. In most cases, it takes under an hour to remove braces.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Our highly-experienced orthodontist, Dr. Battle uses a special plier tool to squeeze each bracket and gently separate it from the tooth.
- Next, the metal bands that anchored your braces to your back molars will be removed.
- Once your brackets and molar bands are detached, Dr. Battle will remove your braces from your teeth.
- We’ll then clean the dental cement from your teeth using a special tool and polish your teeth.
- Once the glue is removed, it’s time to fit your custom retainer! After removing braces, your teeth are more susceptible to reverting back to their original position, so wearing your retainer is critical for preventing this.
If you don’t want your beautiful new smile to be temporary, be sure to carefully follow your orthodontist’s instructions on proper retainer wear.
How to get braces off faster
While there’s no miracle tool or method to speed up your orthodontic treatment, we understand the enthusiasm to finally see your beautiful, healthy smile! So here’s a few tips to help you get to the end of your treatment safely and quickly:
- Stick to your treatment plan! Making sure you attend your check-in appointments on time and following your orthodontist’s instructions on wear time for aligners or rubber bands. You can even opt for virtual check-ins via our DentalMonitoring app.
- Keep your teeth clean! Not sticking to a strong oral hygiene routine can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. It’s especially important to care for your teeth and gums while in orthodontic treatment as braces offer more places for food and plaque to hide and build up.
- Enjoy braces-friendly foods. Foods on the list to avoid are there because they can lead to broken brackets or wires, extending your time in braces. (This is true with clear aligner attachments too!)
- Wear rubber bands as prescribed. As you progress into your treatment, Dr. Battle may prescribe you rubber bands to wear with your braces or aligners. Being diligent about changing them out and wearing them in the correct position helps keep the momentum going in your teeth straightening journey.
Still have questions about how long braces take?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions!
While each person’s smile journey is unique, the best way to find out how long it will take to straighten your teeth is by requesting your complimentary exam.
Dr. Battle will assess your smile, get to know your smile goals, and take you through your personalized treatment plan (including how long it will take)!
Ready to start your smile journey? Request a complimentary exam for you or your child at our orthodontist office in Oviedo, Winter Springs and Waterford Lakes.
(Our Oviedo/Winter Springs orthodontist office is only 7 minutes from the Oviedo Mall and Oviedo Park Crossing!)
